Lens drilling machine



Nov. 19, 1940. E; MAYNARD I 2 ,222,538

LENS DRILLING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l munmm 9455275 May/W720.

INVEN TOR.

. NOV. 19, 1940. A, MAYNARD I 2,222,538

LENS DRILLING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ile/5e7- E MHYNHED.

Nov. 19, 1940. A. E. MAYNARD 2,222,538

LENS DRILLING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 TORNEYL v I NVEN TOR.

fleas/er E MHYNHED. BY

Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,222,538 LENS DRILLING MACHINE Albert E. Maynard, =Southbridge, Mass, assignor to American Optical Company, 'Southbridge, Mass, a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application April 25, 1938, Serial No. 204,027

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in optical machinery and has particular reference to a novel drill for forming openings in glass articles.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a novel construction of drill for forming an opening in glass articles wherein the said opening may be formed to a desired depth inwardly of a surface of the article and the said .article may be then reversed and automatically aligned with the drill to complete the opening through the opposed surface of the article.

Another object is to provide a lens drill which has adjustable supporting portions for a lens whereby lenses of odd shaped contours may be formed with an attaching opening accurately located on the lens regardless of the contour shape of the lens. Another object is to provide a lens drill of the character described with adjustable lens supporting means adapted to quickly compensate for p01 sitional changes brought about by differently shaped contour edges of lenses, so as to accurately locate the drill position relative to the lens.

Another object is to provide a lens drill with lens supporting means which may be adjusted to control the drill position relative to the horizontal axis of the lens and which will control the axial position of the lens as required during the drilling operation.

Another object is to provide an anvil-like support for a lens which may be moved into and out of alignment with the axis of the drill.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the various details, arrangements and methods herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts shown, as the preferred form only has been given in the way of illustration.

Fig. I is a front elevation of the device embodying the invention;

Fig. II is an end view of the adjusting means for the lens supporting mechanism shown in Fig. I;

Fig. III is a view similar to Fig. I showing the lens supporting mechanism in cross section;

Fig. IV is a side view showing a section of the detachable lens holding device;

(emu-5 Fig. V is a side elevation of the device embodying the invention showing the relation of the lens with the drill mechanism of the device;

Fig. VI is a fragmentary plan view of the lens supporting mechanism;

Fig. VII is a-face View of one of the clamp pads of the clamping device illustrated in Fig. IV and showing theaxis aligning means by which, the lens'is accurately positioned in its holding means; and

Fig. VIII is a face view of a lens illustrating the position of connecting openings drilled therein.

Recent changes in the design of ophthalmic mountings have introduced lenses having several different contour shapes. p

,These changes in contour shapes, particularly in rimless type mountings, have introduced great difficulty in accurately locating the connection openings for the lens straps, bridges, or other supporting parts of the mounting. ficulty has also been encountered in obtaining proper means for gripping and holding such lenses during the forming of connection openings therein. ,Several different chuck-like type holders have been designed but, due to the irregu- 26 larities in the contour shapes of present day lenses, such chuck-like means did not prove satisfactory. Another difficulty was that due to the fragile nature of glass it was necessary, during the forming of theconnection openings therein, 3 0

to drill inwardly of the opposed surfaces along a given axis so as to cause the drilled openings to meet in said'opposite directions and complete the connection opening through the lens. Much difficulty has been encountered in providing an 35 apparatus which would drill along a single axis and thereby produce an opening of a desired size.

One of the prime objects, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a drilling apparatus which will obviate all of the above difficulties 40 and providemeans'for positively and accurately supporting the lens in proper relation with the drill so that the opening formed in said lens will be properly located with respect to the axis of the lens and so that the said lens being drilled'may be quickly and, easily reversed with the drill position of the opening remaining inline with the axis of the drill.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, the device embodying the invention comprises broadly a base I having an upright 2 adjacent one end thereof on which the drill 3 is rotatably supported and 5 Much dif- 20.

' rotatedand is slid longitudinally of the bearings I 0 during said rotation by meansofalever l2 pivoted to the support 2, as illustrated at l3, and having a yoke portion I4 provided with spacedprojections l5 located in a circumferential groove l6 inan annular member carried by the rod 9. A suitable spring |1 is pr'ovided for normally urging the tool 3 in an upward direction and away from the work 5. The tool 3 is moved toward the work 5 by exerting lever l2. v

The'pulley I is rotated by a belt H! which extends over spaced idler pulleys |9 to-a suitable sourceof power, such as a motor or other means not shown. I f 'The tool 3 is supported in axial alignment with the anvil-like support 1 and is adapted to be moved manually by'means of the lever |2 toward and away from said anvil.

The lens 5, as illustrated in Figs. I, IV and V,

is positioned on a clamp pad 20 with its axis and centerin desired aligned-relation with suitable aligning means 2 formed on the face of said pad.

Another pad 22 is ad'apted'to be forced into clamped relation with the lens to hold the said lens on the pad 26. The pad 20 is carried by a detachable clamping or holder device 23 having a projection 24 and tapered portion 25 adapted to, I

be fitted withina suitable connected bearing 26 formed on a part of the supporting mechanism of the drill. The reduced projection 24 is held in the bearing 26 by a suitable clamp screw 21, as illustrated in Fig.1 V.- A slot 28 is provided in the reduced portion 24 and is adapted to engage with a suitable locating key in the bearing 26 tolocate the lens 5 in proper axial relation with the sup-.

porting mechanism'of the device.

The bearing pad 20 is supported by a pin 30 rotatably carried by a bearing 3| on an arm 32} of the clamping or'holder device 23. The pin 39 is connected, as illustrated at 33, to the tapered portion 25 in axial alignment with the reduced projection 24 so that the said pad 20, pin 30 and portion 25 having the reduced projection 24 thereon,'all rotate as a unit relative to the bearing 3|.

The pad 22 has-a ball connection 34 with an arm' 35 which is pivoted, as illustrated at 36, to the arm 32 so that the said pad 22 is free to rotate with the pad 20. The arm 35 is formed of a 3 relatively resilient material and is adapted to be 1 compressed by a mechanism including a hooklike member 31 carried by a lever 38 pivoted at 39 j to the arm 35, and which is adapted to be hooked over a pin 40 carried .by a reduced projection 4| thelever 38 and operated by asuitable hand lever 1 43. ,..The cam member 42 is so designed that when the hand lever 43 is moved toward the pivot 39, the flat 44 on the cam allows the hook 31 to beremoved from the pin 40. When moved in the opposite direction, the riser 45 on the cam I 42, causes the lever 38 to move away from the arm 35 and pull the hook-like member 31 into enpressure onthe gagement with the pin 40. The resiliency of the arm 35 thereby constantly urges the pad 22 into engagement with the lens 5 and holds the said lens in secured clamped relation with the pad 20.

It is apparent that when the holder 23 is placed in the bearing 26 and in engagement with the tapered end 44 of said bearing with the slot 28 interfitting witha suitable locating key in said bearing, the lens will be automatically positioned The sleevev has a shouldered perforated end 53 through which a pin 54, having a shouldered head 55 thereon, extends. The pin 54 is secured, as by suitable'dowel' 56 internally of the boreof a block 51 housed in the bearing 5|. The block 51 is provided with a slot 58 having a key projection 59 extending therein and has a threaded opening in which the threaded end 60 of a thumb screw 6| extends and by means of which the said block 51 may be moved longitudinally of the bearing 5| and simultaneously move the sleeve 50 therewith.

The amountof adjustment of the thumb screw BI is indicated 'by suitable indicating device 62 intergeared with a gear 63 carried by the thumb screw.

It will be noted that the sleeve 50 is free to rotate in the bearing 5| and may be adjusted back and forth longitudinally of said bearing by the rotation of the thumb screw 6|. The bearing 5| is spit, as illustrated at 64, and is provided with a clamp screw '65 which may be tightened to secure the sleeve 55 in desired adjusted position. The support 4 and bearing 5| are provided with suitable indications 66 and 61, which are adapted to be aligned during the use of the device by adjustment of the slide 46 to position the lens being drilled in desired axial'relation to the drill mechanism of thedevice. This will be described more in detail hereinafter.

-The anvil memberl is adapted, as shown in Fig. V, to provide a rest on which the lens 5 is supported during the drilling operation. The said anvil member is mounted on a slide 68 carried by a slideway 69 and is resiliently urged by resilient means 1|] in the direction of a stop block 1| for normally holding the anvil member 1 in axial alignment with the drill 3. The inner surface of the slide 58 is provided with a rack 12 which engages a gear sector 13 pivotedin the base, 6 for moving the said slide 58 and anvil member 1 inwardly toward the support 4. The gear sector 13is mounted on a shaft 14 and is rotated by means of a hand lever 15 also mounted on said shaft. The object of this arrangement is toprovide means whereby the anvil 1 may be moved clear of the arm 45 so as' to permit the said clamp or holding device 23 to be rotated. with the pivoted sleeve 58 to a position wherein the .opposed surface of the lens 5 will be disposed to the tool. 5, as illustrated in Fig. V. Attention is directed to the fact that the end of the anvil 1 is in axial alignment withthe axis of rotation of the sleeve 50 so that the axis of the opening being formed in the lens does not change its relation with respect to the-drill during the reversing of the surfaces of the lens relative to the drill. After the position of the lens 5 has been reversed, as illustrated in Fig. V, pressure is released on the lever 15 to allow the resilient means i to move the anvil-like support I back into alignment with the axis of the drill 3,

The anvil-like member 7 has a sleeve 15 pivoted for free rotary movement thereon. The said sleeve 16 has a spring support it secured thereto adjacent one end thereof. The said spring support has a stop 19 adjacent its free end with which the edge of the lens 5 is adapted to abut. The said stop 19 is provided with a plurality of graduations 85 adapted to cooperate with a suitable indicator Bl mounted on the sleeve 16 to indicate the position of the face 82 of the block 18 relative to the axis of the drill} and the anvil-like member I. The block 19 is adjusted in and out by means of an adjusting screw 83 carried by a projection. on' the side of the sleeve i6 and through which the resilient support 18 extends. This determines the distance of the drill hole relative to the edge of the lens at the drill position on said lens.

. The shaft 8 on which the idler pulleys l9 are pivoted has a beveled gear 85 thereon adapted to engage a beveled gear 86 mounted on the upper end of a reamer 81 pivoted ina suitable bearing 88 mounted on the side of the support 2. This reamer is for use in increasing the size'of the drilled opening if desired. The operation is performed by fitting the reamer internally of the drilled opening of the lens and sliding the lens upwardly of the reamer 8?.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows:

The lens 5 to be drilled is clamped between the pads 20 and 22 with the center flii and major axes 9i and 92 thereof aligned with the aligning means 2! on the face of the pad Ed. The holding device 23, having the centered lens thereon, is clamped in the sleeve 28 with the slot 23 and aligning key, not shown,. in the sleeve 25 in engagement with each other. The st'o-p i9 is then adjusted to space the contact surface 82 a distance from the longitudinal axis of the drill 3 and the support '5 an amount substantially equal to the distance desired oi the opening 93 or M,

i as the case may be, inwardly of the edge of the lens being drilled, as indicated at' SE. The holding device 23 and remaining holding mechanism, such as the block 47, etc., are swung about the pivot 52 to move the lens 5 inwardly sidewise against the stop 19.

The thumb wheel. 48 is then adjusted to move the slide 46 inwardly or outwardly of the slideway in the block 4'1 an amount sunicient to permit the indication lines 66 and ii? to be moved into aligned relation with each other. This 10- cates the major axes, 9i and 92 of the lens in proper meridinal position in the drill device. By this it is meant that the major axes of the lens may be shifted about the center oi the lens as an axis to compensate for slight ofi angle positions which might result due to the inability of moving the center of the lens inwardly enough toward the longitudinal axis of the drill, such as would result from an oversize lens or due to the lens being moved inwardly a greater amount than the initial set position which might result from an undersize lens. It is to be understood from the above that the holding mechanism of the drill is designed to properly support a medium size lens in desired aligned relation with the remaining operating mechanism of the drill. This proper aligned relation is determined by the aligning of the indication lines 66 and 61. If the'lens is oversize, it is quite obvious that the block 47 and associated holding mechanism cannot be moved inwardly toward the axes of the drill as far as a lens of smaller size, so that the indication line 65 will be to the left of the indication line 51. To compensate for this disaligned relation of the indication lines 66 and 61 and the departure of the major axes of the lens from desiredmeridinal position, as indicated at 95, the adjusting screw 18 is turned an amountsufficient to back out the support 55 and thereby allow the indication lines 66 and iii to move into alignment with each other. This operation automatically tilts the major horizontal axis 92 of the lens to move it from an off axis position, as indicated by the dash lines 920. in Fig. VIII, to an on axis position, as indicated by the dot and dash lines $2 in Fig. VIII. This moves the axis 92 to a proper meridianal position. The sleeve 50 and associated holding mechanism is then moved longitudinally of the bearing 5i by adjusting the screw M the amount desired to locate the positionat which the drill hole is to be formed relative to the horizontal major axis 92 of the lens.

The device is so designed that when the indicator t2, which designates the amount of movement of the thumb screw 6 l, is at zero position, the opening will be drilled directlyon the major horizontal axis of the lens, as illustrated at If, however, it is desired to position the opening above the horizontal major axis of the lens, as illustrated at 94, an amount 91 above the major axis, the thumb wheel is rotated sufficiently' to move the indicator 62'to aposition indicating said amount.

It is obvious that if it is desired to position the drill. opening 3, 4, or 5 mm. above the horizontal major axis of the lens, the thumb wheel 6! is rotated an amount sufficient to'move the sleeve and associated holding mechanism longitudinally of the'bearing iii an amount to bring about this result. This adjustment, due to the departure in some instance of the lens from true circular contour shape, might cause the indication lines 65 and 61 to move slightly out of aligned relation with each other, in which instance the screw 48 is rotated an amount sumcient to re-align said indication lines.

This adjustment provides means for definitely controlling the position at which the opening is to be formed in the lens and can be positively set, regardless of the contour shape of the lens priort-o performingthe drilling operation. The adjustment, therefore, which mustbe set prior to the drilling operation, is that arrived at by rotation of the thumb screw 48 to position the lens in proper axial position and that obtained by rotating the thumb wheel 6| to adjust the horizontal center line of the lens downwardly a suitable amount relative to the longitudinal axis of the drill sufficient to cause the opening 9 being formed by the drill, ,to be positioned the desired amount above said major horizontal meridian.

As stated above, the dial 62'indicates the position of the opening 24 relative to the horizontal major axis of the lens, and the indication lines E36 and iii provide means for positively locating the major axes of the lens in desired position.

It is to be noted that the lens 5 is tilted about Poi the axis of the sleeve 5% to a position where it 75 will lie on the top of the anvil-like support 1. The lever 12 is depressed to cause the drill 3 to move inwardly of the lens. The drill 3 is fed approximately one-half way through the lens when the lens is held in this position. Pressure is then released on the lever l2 to allow the spring I! to lift the drill 3 clear of the lens. The lever 75 is then operated to move the anvil-like support I sidewise to clear the arm 41, and the said lens and associated supporting mechanism is rotated about the axis of the sleeve an an amount sufficient to overturnthe lens, as indicated by the dash lines in Fig. V. The anvil-like support I isth'en allowed to move back in alignment with the axis of the drill 3 and the lens is then tilted until it engages the end of the anvil-like support, 1. 1 l

i This adjustment, due to the factthat the point of the anvil-like support 1 lies in line with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 50, causes the opening formed in the first surface of the lens to directly overlie the end of the anvil. The lever i2 is then depressed an amount sufficient to feed the drill inwardly of the opposed surface of rthe lens an amount suflicient to complete the opening therethrough.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple, efiicient and economical means have been provided for supporting a drill and lenses of varying sizes and of different irregular contour shapes wherein the position of the opening formed in'the lens may be positively controlled.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. In a device of the character described the combination of a base having spaced uprights thereon, a support member on said base, one of said uprights having a drill rotatably and slidably supported thereon in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the support member, a work support pivotally connected with the other uprighthaving a chuck-like portion adjacent its end opposite its pivotal connection with said up,- right member and havingv means permitting said chuck-like portion to be rotated about an axis substantially normal to the axis of its pivotal connection with said upright member and de-' tachable Work holding means having spaced contact members for engaging the opposite faces of the work and a portion projecting from one of said members and fitting and secured in said chuck-like portion.

2. A work holding member for use with a device of the character described having a chuck for receiving said work holding member, said work holding member having clamp means with spaced pad-s between which the opposed side faces of the-work maybe secured, means for pivotally supporting said work between said clamp means and means on one of said clamp means adapted to fit in and be secured to said chuck.

3. A work holding member for use with a device of the character described having a chuck for receiving said work holding member, said work holding member having clamp means with, spaced rotatable bearing members between which the side surfaces of the work may be secured, said rotatable bearing members pivotally supporting said work between said clamp -means, said clamp means having aligning means thereon with which the work may be aligned when positioned in said clamp means and means on one of said bearing members adapted to fit in and be secured to said chuck.

4. In a lens drill having a contact rest normally in alignment with the drill, the combination of means adjacent said rest for gripping and supporting a lens, means for moving said gripping and supporting means bodily in sub,- stantially a straight line toward and away from the rest in the direction of the vertical axis of. said lens, and means for separately imparting an arcuate and a second substantially straight line movement to said gripping and supportingmeans and to the lens in said means to shift the major axis of the lens to a given meridianal position.

5. In a device of the character described the combination of a base having an upright adjacent one end thereof and an upright'adjacent its opposite end, a work supporting member on said base, an adjustable stop on said work supporting member, one of said uprights having a drill rotatably supported thereon and movable toward and away from the support member, the other of said uprights having a work holding member pivoted thereto about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of the support member and movable sidewise about its pivot connection to position 'work held by said work holding member between the support and the drill, means for adjusting said work holding member longitudinally in a direction substantially normal to the axis of its pivot connection with the upright toward and away from the axis of the support -member, means supporting said work holding member for rotary movement about an axis substantially normal to the axis oflits pivotal connection to the upright, and means for moving said work holding member in a direction substantially transversely of its axis of rotary movement and independently of said longitudinal movement to provide a controllable adjustment in the direction of said swiniging movement independently of said movemen 6. In a device of the character described, having a drill and a support member aligned with said drill, means for supporting. work so that one surface thereof may be disposed toward the drill and so that the said work may be reversed about an axis lying in the. plane of the support-' ing end of the support member so that its opposed surface may be disposed to the drill, said means being pivotally supported for swinging movement to position the work in alignment with the support member and having adjustable portions permitting longitudinal movement of the work toward and away from the axis of the support member along a relatively straight line path of movement and adjustable means for moving the work in a direction substantially nor mal to said straight line path of movement independently of said straight line path.

'7. In a lens drill having a contact rest normally in alignment with the drill, the combination of means adjacent said rest for gripping and supporting a lens, means for moving said gripping and supporting means bodily in substantially a straight line toward and away from the rest in the direction of the vertical axis of said lens, means for separately imparting an arcuate and a second substantially straight line movement to said gripping and supporting means and to the lens in said means to shift a major axis of the lens to a given meridianal position and means associated with said means for imparting said arcuate movement for indicating the amount of said second straight line movement necessary to shift said lens axis to said meridianal position. I

8. In a device of the character described the combination of an upright having a drill rotatably supported thereon, a supporting member in axial alignment with the drill and having adjustable stop means thereon, and a work supporting table mounted adjacent said upright for substantially straight line movement in two directions substantially normal to each other and along substantially parallel planes and being pivoted about an axis substantially perpendicular to said planes.

9. In a device of the character described the combination of an upright having a drill rotatably supported thereon, a supporting member in axial alignment with the drill and having adjustable stop means thereon, a work supporting table mounted adjacent said upright for substantially straight line movement in two directions substantially normal to each other and along substantially parallel planes and being pivoted about an axis substantially perpendicular to said planes, and means associated with each of said movements adapted to indicate the extent thereof.

10. In a device of the character described the combination of an upright having a drill rotatably supported thereon, a supporting member in axial alignment with the drill and having adjustable stop means thereon, a work supporting table mounted adjacent said upright for substantially straight line movement in two directions substantially normal to each other and along substantially parallel planes and being pivoted about an axis substantially perpendicular to said planes, and means extending in one of said substantially straight line directions adapted to permit said work holding means'to be rotated about an axis substantially normal to the axis of said pivot.

11. In a device of the character described the combination of an upright having a drill r0- tatably supported thereon, a supporting member in axial alignment with the drill and having adjustable stop means thereon, a work holding member pivoted about a vertical axis on said base in spaced relation with said upright, work holding means on said work holding member, means for moving said work holding means longitudinally of said work holding member in a direction substantially normal to said vertical pivot and means for moving said work holding means in a direction substantially normal tosaid longitudinal movement and to said pivot.

12. In a device of the character described the combination of an upright having a drill rotatably supported thereon, a supporting member in axial alignment with the drill and having adjustable stop means thereon, a work holding member pivoted about a vertical axis on said base in spaced relation with said upright, work holding means on said work holding member, means for moving said work holding means 1ongitudinally of said work holding member in a direction substantially normal to said vertical pivot, means for moving said work holding means in a direction substantially normal to said longitudinal movement and to said pivot, and means extending in one of said substantially straight line directions adapted to permit said work holding means to be rotated about an axis substantially normal tothe axis of said pivot.

' ALBERT E. MAYNARD. 

